After fake birth certificate scandal, BMC turns to AI to secure civic records

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2 min readMumbaiMay 16, 2026 09:56 AM ISTOfficials said users will be able to retrieve documents by entering a name, following which digitally signed certificates will be generated online.Weeks after an internal probe exposed over 87,000 fake birth certificates issued by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), the civic body has rolled out an Artificial Intelligence-backed system to digitally preserve and retrieve key citizen records, beginning with E ward in Byculla.The initiative, titled Vision AI Vault, comes amid heightened scrutiny of the BMC’s birth registration system after the civic administration revealed that 87,347 fake birth certificates were issued between 2024 and 2026. Of these, 5,505 certificates were traced to E ward alone.Civic officials said the pilot project was launched following directions from Mumbai Municipal Commissioner Ashwini Bhide to integrate AI-based mapping across the civic database.The new system aims to digitise decades-old records — including birth, death and marriage certificates — many of which have deteriorated due to Mumbai’s humid weather and ageing storage conditions. Officials said records that earlier took nearly a month to retrieve could now be accessed within minutes.Unlike conventional scanning systems, the AI-powered platform can reportedly read handwritten English, Marathi and Hindi documents, restore faded text and correct distortions caused by damaged paper and ink smudges, including in pre-Independence era records.Officials said users will be able to retrieve documents by entering a name, following which digitally signed certificates will be generated online.Stay updated with the latest - Click here to follow us on Instagram© The Indian Express Pvt LtdTags:BMCAdvertisementLoading Recommendations...AdvertisementLive BlogIran US War News LIVE Updates: Lebanon, Israel extend truce; Tehran ready for more US talks22 minutes agoJustice Swarana Kanta Sharma won’t hear excise case, to continue with contempt action against Arvind Kejriwal, Manish Sisodia, others2 hours agoKerala SSLC 10th Result 2026 LIVE Updates: 4.09 lakh pass; result out at prd.kerala.gov.in3 hours agoTrump-Xi Summit LIVE: Meeting ends with Xi and Trump claiming progress but differences remain14 hours agoHBSE 10th Result 2026, bseh.org.in Highlights: Scorecards out at bseh.org.in, check list of toppers23 hours ago